The end of the year is a perfect time for a waste audit. It’s when real change can be made to a company’s waste management practices as waste reporting is easier when thing begin to quieten down.
As waste auditing is all about efficiency, it can help a business achieve cost savings through hitting their waste reduction goals. This is because good waste management practices, like efficient business practices, is cost effective.
So if you’re not convinced about hiring one of Cleanway’s waste auditors, we’ve created this blog to convince you that you should get a waste audit to better handle the waste produced in your office.
What is a Waste Audit?
A waste audit looks at waste generated by a business and seeks to find a more efficient way to do this.
Having this waste audit report looks at the specific data surrounding waste so that we can have a clear understanding of how your business works. Using this data, we provide ways to improve efficiency.
13 Reasons for Getting a Waste Audit This Christmas
Good waste management is all about efficiency, and a crucial part of this is a waste audit. It’s the one way for businesses to know how to manage their waste.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the 13 reasons why you should consider getting a waste audit this Christmas with the Cleanway team.
1. Identify Cost Savings
Many organisations spend more on waste than they realise.
A waste audit exposes unnecessary expenses such as over-servicing, incorrect bin sizes, contamination charges and missed recycling opportunities.
Once these costs are visible, they can be controlled.
2. Optimise Bin Usage and Waste Systems
Busy periods like Christmas often highlight poor bin positioning or sizing.
A waste audit reviews bin locations, capacity and service frequency.
Simple adjustments can lead to smoother waste flows, less overflow and safer, tidier work areas.
3. Improve in House Recycling Rates
Recycling performance often declines when staff are under pressure.
By analysing waste streams and contamination, a waste audit identifies where recycling can be improved.
Increased recycling not only benefits the environment but also reduces landfill costs.
4. Support Sustainability Goals through Waste Management
End-of-year planning often includes sustainability reporting.
An audit provides clear data on how much waste your business generates, how it is treated and what proportion is diverted from landfill.
This information supports transparent reporting and measurable improvement.
5. Manage Seasonal Waste Peaks
Christmas brings surges in packaging, food waste, and retail returns.
An audit helps you understand which waste streams increase most, so you can prepare accordingly.
Adjusting collection schedules or bin types in advance avoids last-minute issues.
6. Benchmark Current Performance
Without accurate data, improvement is difficult to measure.
A waste audit creates a benchmark for your current performance.
It establishes a starting point against which you can measure progress in the new year.
7. Enhance Workplace Safety
Overflowing bins, misplaced skips and cluttered storage areas can create trip hazards and attract pests.
A waste audit identifies these risks and recommends corrective actions.
Clean, well-organised waste areas contribute to a safer workplace for staff and visitors.
8. Reduce Environmental Impact
A waste audit highlights where your business can minimise waste generation, increase reuse and recover valuable materials.
Small operational changes can produce significant environmental benefits.
9. Streamline Contractor Relationships
Many organisations work with multiple waste service providers or outdated contracts.
A waste audit reviews these arrangements, identifying overlap, inefficiencies and opportunities to consolidate.
Streamlining providers can simplify management and deliver cost savings.
And your best bet is to work with an EPA accredited contractor like Cleanway.
10. Prevent Contamination and Fines
Contaminated recycling can lead to additional fees or rejected loads.
A waste audit reveals where contamination occurs and what causes it—often simple factors such as unclear signage or poor staff awareness.
Correcting these issues improves compliance and reduces unnecessary costs.
11. Empower Staff with Better Knowledge
When staff understand how waste is managed, they are more likely to participate in recycling and proper disposal.
An audit often includes staff engagement and education, creating awareness that carries beyond the holiday period.
Teams gain pride in contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable workplace.
You can begin with some of our top performing blogs, like Top Causes of Waste Management Issues.
12. Prepare for Growth in the New Year
Businesses entering a new year with expansion plans need to ensure waste systems can keep pace.
An audit identifies whether current waste infrastructure will support increased production, new product lines or larger customer bases.
Planning upgrades early avoids reactive spending later.
13. Strengthen Brand Reputation
Customers, clients and communities increasingly value businesses that take sustainability seriously.
Demonstrating proactive waste management through a professional audit enhances reputation.
It shows commitment to responsible practices and leadership in environmental stewardship.
Taking Action This Holiday Season
A waste audit is more than a year-end checklist. It is an investment in efficiency, safety and environmental performance.
The Christmas period, when waste generation peaks and attention turns to future planning, provides the perfect moment to assess what is working and what needs improvement.
Booking an audit ahead of the holiday break ensures enough time for data collection and analysis before operations slow or staff take leave.
By January, you’ll have a clear roadmap for reducing waste costs, improving recycling and streamlining services.
Whether your business operates in manufacturing, retail, hospitality or logistics, understanding your waste streams pays dividends.
Partnering with an experienced waste management provider such as Cleanway gives you access to expertise, detailed reporting and actionable recommendations tailored to your operations.